The congeration gathers to hear Bishop Liam McDaid during the reconsecration
A REFURBISHMENT of close to £350,000 for a church near Belcoo has been completed – with the official opening taking place last weekend.
St Patrick’s Church, near Holywell, dates back to 1828, and caters for roughly 300 parishioners.
Jim Mellor, chairman of the Cleenish parish, noted that the fund-raising has been going on for the past two and a half, to three years.
“We had a climb of Croagh Patrick which raised about £50,000, and have had two parish draws which raised £40,000 each and we’re in the middle of a third one,” he explained.
“It was started about three years ago, but we were only planning to do a small job. When we’d started we realised that there was a lot that had to be done.”
Included in the work was six new windows, brand new stairs, the complete re-tiling of the floor, a new altar, ambo, baptismal font – and the plastering of the outside of the building.
On Sunday, Bishop Liam MacDaid, along with other local priests, held a dedication of the altar.
“Everybody is delighted,” concluded Jim, “I’ve heard nothing negative.”
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